A Drop of Kindness
by Waffleness
Summary: ‘All the people in this city are cold and cruel. I don’t have much, but there isn’t anything I wouldn’t give for a little bit of kindness.’ Alone and lost in a city Sakura calls Hell, she finally finds what she is looking for. AU
1. Run Run

**A/N: **I decided to try something a little different for once. It's an AU but it takes place in this city...and...you'll see what I mean. I hope you guys like it and please pardon all of the spelling and grammar mistakes.

At the moment there is no real pairing yet...But I'll see what you guys have to say.

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Naruto.**

* * *

**

A Drop of Kindness 

Run Run

* * *

Her tiny feet made barely a sound as she walked across the rain drizzled streets of the city. It was dark and cold and Sakura shivered as she hugged her tattered coat around herself; her dirty pink locks bouncing in the wind.

It had always been like this. Enduring the harsh winds and searching for scraps of a meal in this godforsaken place.

She wouldn't dare ask a stranger for help. The people here were cruel and looked down in disgust at her pitiful state. The people would scoff and kick her across the pavement sparing no passing glance.

She had grown to fend for herself. Searching for food and sleeping in any dry spot she could manage to find.

Sakura was alone on these streets. Lost for days, weeks, months, years. She was forever searching for a non-existent home. Constantly changing locations and avoiding the people she knew would hurt her if she gave them a chance.

Sakura knew nothing else about herself besides her name. She was abandoned on these streets of the city she called Hell. It was a nightmare life filled with monsters and cruelty. She had no knowledge of any other life except this one.

Sakura was alone in this Hell and she knew it.

Digging through the rusty tin trashcan, Sakura had no luck. The trash was foul-smelling and old, mostly consisting of rotting newspaper and other questionable items; none of it was possible for eating.

She replaced the metal cover and slowly walked out of the alley-way, peering either direction before stepping out of the shadows.

Her stomach protested quietly for nourishment.

She ran a short distance towards another small alley that contained a dumpster which appeared to carry more edible food items than just run-of-the-mill trash.

Her taste buds were now used to such disgusting textures and tastes. Her nose no longer wrinkled at the smells and her eyes no longer looked away with displeasure.

This disgusting substance was now her life-source. Her food.

She silently dug through the discarded left-overs and garbage, hoping for a meal to satisfy her grumbling stomach.

She pulled aside some plastic bags and there it was, amongst a pile of discarded banana peels, was a box. A box filled with many unhealthy snacks. Apparently, someone had gathered together such sugar-filled snacks, only to have them taken away. It was a lucky day today, seeing as though her meal today was neither chewed-up nor invested with ants.

Her eyes gleamed with hunger and she reached in and pulled out a bag of stale cereal. A sweet treat that her stomach longed for. She chewed on the flakes with deliberate slowness.

Gathering the box in her frail arms, she jumped down from the dumpster and went to look for a place to rest for the night.

"Where do you think you're going, ya little rat?"

Sakura froze. She did not want to face the man that was leering behind her with murderous eyes. He was an evil man. Many times, she had faced him before and had barely escaped untarnished.

This man wandered the streets as she did, scouring the dumpsters for food, and he would attack her and steal her precious food she worked hard to find.

Her ears listened closely as his dusty boots walked towards her across the concrete. She willed her body not to run. Running only encouraged him to chase her.

She unconsciously gripped the box's edge with her nails and bit the inside of her cheek. She broke into a sweat as she felt his presence right behind her. The smell of alcohol filled her senses.

_Don't run don't run don't run _

She chanted inside her head forcing herself to stay put.

_Don't run don't run don't run_

The man leaning down behind her, his breath on her neck. She shivered.

_Don't run don't run run run run…_

She ran.

She turned and tried to duck under his arms to pass him until she felt his fist tightly grip her coat, tugging roughly. She fell back but stood up and struggled in his grasp.

He reached up to grab her arms but she shrugged off her coat and ran past him into the empty street. She ran and ran even though her legs ached in protest. She could hear him right behind her. Drunkenly chasing and stumbling.

_Where am I supposed to go?_

_I have no where to go._

She looked left and right for somewhere to turn, to get away from him. She needed somewhere to hide.

His voice echoed against the buildings as he stumbled into a pole. Sakura's breath hitched and she broke into a sprint away from the drunken man.

He would catch up, she knew. Her tiny legs could only carry her so far, especially with the minimum amount of food she takes in.

"Get back here, you little-!"

There was no one else among the streets. No one to help her. The only people that were out wouldn't even glance in her direction as she ran and ran, tripping and sliding along the way on the slick pavement.

Sakura made the fatal mistake of running into another alley-way. Her heart stopped when she realized that she was now back where she had started.

A dead end.

She stared at the brick wall in front of her for a moment, mouth-slightly parted in fear. When she heard his presence behind her, she spun around. She was cornered.

The drunken man clumsily stepped towards her, leaning against the grimy wall for support. Sakura only stood there stock still as she continued to hold the box in her grip as if it were her life-line.

Every step he took towards her, she unconsciously took two steps back until she could feel the moldy wall behind her.

"Now you aren't gonna scream this time, right?" his words were slightly slurred.

Of course she wasn't going to scream. There wasn't anyone to hear her anyway. She learned this the last time.

As he stopped in front of her, she shut her brilliant green eyes tight, awaiting the impact.

But none came.

Instead she heard a loud shout, a grunt of pain, and then a thud as if someone had fallen. Sakura didn't dare open her eyes to see what was taking place in front of her.

She flinched when she felt a hand on her shoulder and shivered in fear.

"Are you okay?"

She jumped at the new voice, though it was soft and almost…kind. The fact that this voice was asking if **she** was alright was new to her. Kindness was indeed a rarity in this city and Sakura almost wondered if she was imagining all of this.

Taking her chances, she slowly opened her green eyes only to stare into a pool of blue.

* * *

**A/N:** So, how'd you like it? Sorry it's a bit short but the next chapter is longer I promise. Please review!

Who is the mysterious, blue-eyed savior? As if it isn't quite that obvious...Is it?


	2. Follow Me

**A/N:** Whoo! I updated! Almost New Years! So anyway, here is the second chapter. I hope you guys all enjoy it!

Oh! Also, incase any of you are having trouble understanding the city...uhh...think: Skid Row except less people. If you don't know what Skid Row is then I suggest you go research.

Haha okay apparently a lot of you are saying NaruSaku...so NaruSaku it is. But don't get all excited yet! I'm planning on throwing a few more pairings in there for the heck of it. I do like a fanfic with more than one pairing and I dont mean like ShikaIno (gross) or NaruHina (bleh).

**Disclaimer**: Once again, I have been reminded that I do not own Naruto.

* * *

**A Drop of Kindness**

Follow me

* * *

Sakura was puzzled. It was the first time she ever met someone her age before in this dark world. She sometimes believed she was the only one here.

He had proven her wrong. She was a bit apprehensive at first, unused to such warm, blue eyes. To her, the only normal things were cold and cruel and that warm and kind were unusual and odd.

The boy was as dirty as she was except for his brilliant blonde head that glowed even if smudged with dirt and grime. Her pink head only shimmered under such an unnatural glow.

He also couldn't seem to stop smiling even in such a horrible situation that they both were in. Sakura couldn't even remember the last time she had smiled, or if she had ever.

"Hey, are you okay?" he repeated when she didn't respond immediately.

Her mouth was parted but no words came out as she stood there in shock at the boy in front of her.

He scratched his head. "What's your name?" he urged her to speak, still smiling.

"A-ah…" Sakura struggled for words, "S-Sakura…"

He smiled even brighter at hearing her speak. "Sakura-chan, eh? Hehe I never expected to meet someone like you here!"

She blinked. She was thinking the exact same thing. "Who are you?" her voice gaining strength.

"Oh! I'm Naruto!" he yelled, flashing a toothy grin and a thumbs-up sign.

Sakura stared, dumbstruck, at his immaturity. Well, there's a first for everything she supposed so why not start with some random, immature blonde?

Sakura took the moment of silence to look at her surroundings and gasped quietly when she noticed the man flat on his face in a small puddle on the ground.

"Did…did you do that?" she pointed towards the floor.

Naruto followed her gaze, "Oh that?" he scratched the back of his neck and smiled sheepishly, "Uh, yes?"

Sakura let go of the breath she didn't know she was holding. He did that? So, he didn't intend on hurting her, right? He saved her and that's all that mattered. It doesn't even matter how he had knocked her attacker unconscious.

This was the first act of kindness she had ever witnessed.

She dropped the box of food and flung her arms around the unsuspecting blonde.

"Thank you," she whispered. When was the last time she uttered those words?

Naruto's eyes widened in surprise. He had not been expecting a hug. Especially a hug from this strange girl. This strange girl that he stumbled across and he had simultaneously decided to help her. He felt this impulse to save her from this man. He had felt that she was exactly like him. Alone and lost in this world.

But he was not alone entirely.

He pat her on the back awkwardly, his cheeks slightly reddening, "You're welcome."

They stepped back from each other and stood there silently for a few seconds, Sakura picking up the dented box she had dropped.

Naruto broke the silence, "Do you…do you have anywhere to go?" he inquired.

Sakura shook her head solemnly, "No."

"Oh…well…would you like to come with me?"

Slightly puzzled she asked, "What?"

He eyed her for a second before making his decision, "Come," he said and grabbed her arm, tugging for her to follow.

"Follow me!" he raced out of the alley-way.

"W-what! Wait!" She readjusted the box in her arms and ran after the grinning blonde boy.

He ran across the damp streets, turning every once in a while to make sure that she was following.

She was still behind him by a couple meters but following none the less. She was running rather clumsily trying not to lose sight of his blonde hair.

"Where are you going!" she called after him.

"This way!"

Sakura sighed loudly but continued to chase him, wondering where exactly he was leading her. Could she trust this person? Something inside of her told her "Yes."

With Sakura not far behind him, Naruto grounded to a halt in front of a shabby looking brick building. Dirty sheets hung in front of the windows and no lights were visible from the outside.

She stopped next to him, panting heavily. "W-where are we?" she breathed.

Instead of responding, he gestured with his hand for her to follow. He crept through one of the broken windows and Sakura followed, carefully stepping inside behind him.

It was pitch black inside except for the slivers of light that leaked in through the uncovered parts of the windows and the dim outline of Naruto standing a few feet in front of her.

Naruto turned to her, "Stay here, Sakura-chan," he whispered as Sakura nodded.

Naruto walked further into the darkness, leaving Sakura alone but he did not go far before speaking again.

"Hey, you guys! Guys come out! It's me, Naruto!" He was whispering as loudly as one could possibly whisper.

A few minutes passed and nothing happened. But slowly and surely Sakura could make out shapes moving around in the dark. One by one different figures came into the light and made their presence known.

"Guys…this is Sakura-chan and Sakura-chan, these are the guys!" he pointed wildly at each of them.

There were more of them? Sakura stared at each of them in bewilderment.

One of them had his hair pulled up into a high pony-tail and he had a half surprised half bored look on his face. "We sent you out for food and you bring back a girl? Troublesome…"

Another of the boys had spiky black hair and onyx eyes who eyed Sakura almost suspiciously. "Dobe, what were you thinking?" he whispered.

The last boy was further back and harder to see in the dark. From what Sakura could see, he had scraggly red hair.

"Hey hey, don't have a cow, Sasuke! She's nice!" defended Naruto.

Sakura didn't know what to do. She stood there awkwardly while being stared down by three strangers who eyed her like a piece of meat. Sakura gulped.

Sasuke exhaled sharply but his expression softened slightly when he saw Sakura's flustered face and fidgeting hands. She was nervous and didn't seem to pose a threat at all.

Running a hand through his ebony locks, he extended his arm towards her and Sakura stared at it in confusion until Sasuke spoke, "I'm Sasuke."

Sakura shook his hand timidly and nodded, "S-Sakura."

The boy in the pony-tail sighed and extended his own arm, "I'm Shikamaru."

Sakura shook his hand and then turned to the last boy expectantly. He didn't move to extend his arm and only spoke his name, "Gaara."

Sakura nodded again and attempted to sound calm, "Who are you?" she asked, definitely curious. She had never seen these people before and wondered where they came from.

Naruto decided to pipe up after the introductions were finished, "Well, like I said, I'm Nar-!"

"No, you idiot, she wants to know _who_ we are," interrupted the boy she learned was known as Sasuke.

"Duh, that's why I was telling her my name."

"Just stop talking, Dobe."

"Don't tell me to stop talking, teme!"

Sakura looked back and forth between their exchange while Shikamaru leaned on the wall lazily and Gaara looked indifferent.

While Sasuke and Naruto continued to argue quietly, Shikamaru took it upon himself to speak instead. Sighing, he pushed himself off the wall and turned towards the confused pink-haired girl.

"Basically," Sakura turned to listen, "we are just like you, I guess. All four of us have been living on these streets together for years, fighting to survive and all that. We have been living in this building for a while. That's about it…" he trailed off as Sakura nodded in understanding.

Naruto, noticing someone else had started talking, came up to Sakura, "Where did you come from?" he asked.

She shook her head, "I don't know."

"Oh," said Naruto suddenly quieter, "I don't know where I came from either."

It was quiet for a moment until Naruto spoke again, "So, Sakura-chan…seeing as though you have nowhere to go…" he looked up at Sasuke for support who rolled his eyes.

"So…maybe you could stay with us…?" he asked hopefully.

Sakura's eyes brightened considerably at the thought of actually living somewhere and actually living with people. People she had deemed trustworthy.

Naruto who had saved her was at the top of her list. If he could trust these people then so should she. But did they trust her?

Sakura nodded her head enthusiastically, practically jumping up and down in excitement.

"Please! Could I?" she pleaded, staring at them with hopeful green eyes.

Naruto immediately smiled and then nudged Sasuke and Shikamaru in their sides. Both of which who contemplated for a moment before sighing and agreeing. Sakura then turned to Gaara who still looked indifferent to the whole situation. Then he nodded slowly, uncaring.

Sakura smiled, her entire dirt smudged face lighting up.

She smiled for the first time in years at finally having a place she could call 'Home'.

She smiled for the first time in years at finally having people she could eventually call 'Family'.

She smiled for the first time in years at finally experiencing kindness all in a single afternoon.

Sakura decided, right then and there, that she quite liked this thing called 'kindness'.

* * *

**A/N:** So, what do ya think?

My reasons for picking Naruto, Sasuke, Gaara and Shikamaru- Firstly, I have come to this conclusion...A conclusion that states that you can NEVER have a fanfic with Sakura and you do not include Naruto!

After that conclusion...you can NEVER have a fanfic with Naruto and you do not include Sasuke! I mean, who is Naruto gonna argue with?

Thirdly, Shikamaru is here because simply, he is kickass (I also enjoy ShikaSaku but that is not relevant right now.)

Lastly, Gaara is kick ass too (GaaSaku is also quite entertaining.)

There you have it. My logic is undeniable. If any of you wanna ask about putting more people in...sorry.

Review please!


	3. Mother

**A/N: **Yay! I updated! Nothing much to say about this chaper.

Anyway, I would like to thank everyone for their glorious reviews! I answer every single one of them but I'm not sure if you actually get them or not. Maybe I should answer them in my author's notes? I dunno.

Also, sorry if some of the characters are OOC. It is an AU and I think I got the basis for each character's personality at least. So...enjoy!

**Disclaimer: **I dont own Naruto.

* * *

**A Drop of Kindness**

Mother

* * *

"So, Sakura-chan," her blonde savior gestured to a lump of holey, old blankets. "You can sleep here!"

Well, it wasn't much but Sakura smiled anyway. It was certainly an improvement from cardboard boxes, the ground, or of course, not sleeping at all. On many occasions Sakura found herself lying awake through most nights and sleeping as much as she could during the day.

"Thank you, Naruto."

"Anytime!" he said before bounding off to bother Sasuke, who was deep in conversation (if you counted a few syllables as conversation) with Gaara.

Sakura bent down to straighten out her new make-shift bed when she heard someone clear their throat behind her.

Jumping slightly, she spun around to see Shikamaru slouching with his hands stuffed in his pockets.

"Sakura," he said calmly.

"Yes, Shikamaru-san?" she questioned.

"You can go ahead and cut the formalities. You'll be living here for a while, I assume."

Sakura nodded and he continued, "Obviously, Naruto wasn't able to acquire food on his last trip out…"

Sakura's cheeks flamed in embarrassment and slight guilt. It had been her fault that Naruto didn't get food for them like he was supposed to.

"So, you know, maybe you could share that box you got over there," he lazily lifted his arm and pointed at the shabby cardboard box nestled in a corner.

"Oh! Oh, yes of course! I'd be glad to share!" she spoke eagerly. It was the least she could do for them.

"Thanks," he said before walking off into another room.

After all the introductions and such had been done, Sakura finally got a good look at her surroundings. They had lighted a few oil lamps spread around the room that granted enough light for them to see.

In the far back of the house, is where their sleeping quarters were kept. The room next to that was a fairly decent room that Sakura assumed was once a kitchen due to the tiled flooring and wooden cupboards. They even had a small bathroom that (surprisingly) had working plumbing.

The whole house was musty and a cloud of dust rose whenever she took a step. Spider-webs occupied the corners and mice lived in the walls. She could hear them scurrying about, bumping along the ceiling. Sakura didn't mind the thought of mice or bugs...she had dealt with them numerous times and they're not that bad once you get to know them.

In the front room where Sakura had first come in was the living room/dining room. It housed a termite-eaten wooden table and a couple distorted chairs where Gaara, Sasuke, Shikamaru and Naruto were now sitting at.

She slowly walked over to them, dust trailing behind her, unsure of what to do now. Usually, Sakura never had any down time for she was constantly on the move. What did they do when there was nothing to do?

They were quietly talking among themselves (besides Naruto) and looked up when Sakura had sat down at the remaining chair at the far end of the table.

"Sakura-chan!" said Naruto, none too softly. "So, how do you like it here so far?"

The other three looked at her curiously, waiting for the complaining or whining they were expecting.

"I like it very much," she answered truthfully. Considering what she could compare it to, this place was a palace.

Naruto snorted slightly at her answer and Sakura looked at him questionably.

"This place is a dump…" said Naruto strangely quiet. "I can't wait to get out of here."

The other boys only exchanged looks but Sakura stared.

_Get out?_

Never in her life had Sakura considered leaving this place. Of course she hated it but where could she go besides here? Where else was there to go? She assumed this was the only way people lived and she dealt with it.

She voiced her thoughts, "Get out?"

"Yeah, get out!" yelled Naruto, suddenly enthusiastic. "Escape! Leave! You know? Someday we're all gonna get outta here!" He pounded his fist on the table for emphasis.

Sakura was confused still, "Where would you go?"

Naruto opened his mouth to speak but Gaara beat him to it, "Away from here," he spoke quietly.

"Yeah…" agreed Naruto.

"Oh," said Sakura, at a loss for anything else to say.

Shikamaru decided to break the silence. Standing up, he said, "Well, it's getting late. I think we should eat something now."

That sounded like a good idea to Sakura and she straightened in her seat. Ever since she discovered her box of treats, she still didn't eat much of it and was still quite hungry and a little bit thirsty. She wondered if they drank water from the working sink.

"Eat what?" said Sasuke skeptically. "The dobe didn't do his job tonight." Naruto immediately began protesting.

Sakura's cheeks flamed again and she decided to look down at her hands. She didn't mean to be a burden to them and Sasuke almost sounded mad. Mad at her or at Naruto she wasn't sure.

"Don't worry. Sakura decided to share her food with us." Shikamaru then stepped out from his chair and walked into another room, bringing the box back out with him. He spread the contents upon the table.

Sakura's mouth watered. The box contained more goodies than she imagined. Chips, cereal, candy, even dried fruit and more. Not the healthiest or nutritious eating but it was food none the less.

Sasuke's eyes widened a little at the sight of treats before him. He wondered how she acquired so much food and immediately banished the thoughts of regretting letting her stay here. "Thank you, Sakura."

"WOAH! Sakura-chan, you hit a jackpot! Thanks!" Naruto began to dig in.

Less enthusiastic than Naruto, Gaara nodded his abrupt thanks and slowly began to ingest the sweets. Shikamaru thanked a second time and joined in as well.

"You're welcome. It's the least I can do." She spoke calmly before grabbing the bag of stale cereal she was previously eating. Actually, it was the very, very least she could do.

They ate in peaceful silence until everyone was mostly content. They couldn't indulge until they were full since food was so scarce. Instead, they set aside the left-overs for another day.

Shikamaru got up again and came back with water in grimy plastic cups. So they did use the water from this house. Sakura assumed it was safe to drink and she took a small sip, quenching her thirst.

Naruto drank noisily and slammed the cup down on the table with a loud, "Ahhhh".

Sakura giggled into her glass at his actions. None of the other boys were as exuberant as Naruto was that was for sure. They quietly drank their fill and set their cups down on the table with a sigh.

Being the naturally kind person she was, she took everyone's glasses before Shikamaru could even sit up. Sakura smiled in assurance and Shikamaru grinned slightly back and leaned back in his seat.

"Here, Sakura-chan, let me help you!" Naruto got up from his seat and followed her into the 'kitchen'.

Naruto told her and pointed to where everything was kept. Sakura nodded in understanding and committed everything he said to memory.

"Oh yeah! I forgot you tell you. In this house we sort of take shifts in work," Sakura looked up this time to look at him and he continued, "Every couple of days we take turns doing things. Like, me getting food today…" Naruto laughed.

"Also, Shikamaru was getting up a lot today 'cause it was his turn to play 'mother'," Naruto chuckled again and Sakura laughed a little too.

Sakura grinned suddenly had an idea. "Oh, so when is it my turn to be 'mother'? I could do it all the time!" she said excitingly. She could pay them all back that way…doing the house work. There wasn't that much work to do anyway. Bring food to the table, piece of cake. It's not like they cleaned the place.

"If you want to…then sure!" he smiled toothily.

Sakura smiled slightly back and they went back to the dining table. The three of them were just sitting quietly, enjoying the peaceful silence.

Sitting down, Sakura suddenly felt a little more comfortable around them. She felt more braver and out-going then she has ever felt before.

She was about to speak, but Naruto beat her to it. "You're off the hook, Shikamaru!" Said person looked up at the blonde questionably. "Sakura-chan says she wants to be 'mother' from now on!"

The whole table turned to her and Sakura shyly nodded.

"Wow, thanks Sakura. It was troublesome to keep standing up." Said Shikamaru.

Both Gaara and Sasuke only smirked, "Not that you have to do much, anyway." Assured Sasuke.

Quiet settled around the table again and Sakura took this opportunity to speak. "What do you guys do around here?"

"Nothing." Said Sasuke.

"Nothing?"

"Yes, nothing."

"Oh…"

"It's sad but true. But, I agree with the dobe when he says that this place is a dump."

Naruto nodded exuberantly.

"Maybe.." Sakura thought for a moment, "maybe…we **can** do something."

"Any idea to what that is?" said Gaara suddenly.

Sakura shrunk back in her seat, "I don't know…something..."

"Well, tell us when you think of it," said Shikamaru, pushing back his chair and standing up. "I'm going to bed." He said simply and walked off.

A small chorus of 'me too' rang out and soon Sakura was left alone at the table with Naruto standing up to leave too.

"Heh, they may seem sort of harsh but they are really cool guys once you get to know them." Naruto rubbed the back of his neck.

He pushed his chair in and walked to the back room, stopping at the doorway. "Goodnight, Sakura-chan." He disappeared over the threshold.

Sakura smiled at his retreating back and continued to sit at the table. They seemed to trust her already considering they left her alone and unwatched.

A small smile stretched across her lips as she contemplated the day's events.

Discovering the box of treats was supposed to be her highlight of the day but instead she was granted with a home. She met new people just like her and now she lives with them in this palace.

Surprisingly, she was disturbed at the thought that they didn't do anything. It's not like she didn't do anything herself but she did more than sit around and wait for time to pass by. They sat here, rotting, waiting for something to happen but nothing ever would.

Sakura suddenly felt more bad for them then she did for herself.

She suddenly felt determined. Determined to help these people somehow do **something**. Make something out of their dreary lives more than she ever did with her own life.

She clenched her fists in determination and stood up from the table. She quietly pushed the wooden chair in and paced around the room.

What could she do? She didn't even have the faintest idea. Maybe she could go out…and find something. But after all these years of searching, she still hasn't found anything herself.

Maybe she could just make life around the house a little more…home-ish. Maybe she could make 'dinnertime' a little more lively.

They could learn to talk to each other.

Laugh together.

She could make them smile.

Sakura's eyes gleamed. That was it. Maybe she could make their home feel more like a home. Even if just a little.

As snores wafted from the room next door, Sakura set to work.

* * *

**A/N: **Soo...how'd you like it? Sorry it isnt so exciting at the moment...It will get better! I promise!

I'm also trying to make the chapters a little longer and yeah...

Please review!


	4. Good Morning

**A/N: **Sorry it took me so long to update...I'm a super slow idea-er.

Updations rule! I like that word. Updation.

* * *

**A Drop of Kindness**

Good Morning

* * *

"There!"

Wiping the dust from her hands onto her already raggedy blouse, Sakura admired the progress in which she had accomplished in the short hours of the night.

Searching through the kitchen, she had found a moth-eaten rag in a cupboard. She ran the old rag under water and found the only useswas to brush the dust out of the corners, wipe the counters and floor smooth, and gently sweep the spiders away. It didn't make much a difference but Sakura could already see how the old wood shined without a coating of dust.

The dust still wafted in the thick air and Sakura let out a small sneeze.

"Achoo!"

"Bless you."

"AH!" Startled, she jumped two feet into the air; her emerald eyes swiveled around and landed on a bush of messy red hair.

"Oh, Gaara-san," she exhaled and held a hand to her chest to calm the rapid beating, "you scared me... I thought you were some type of monster!" she let out an embarrassed laugh.

Something akin to anger flashed across his eyes at her words but he quickly composed himself.

His eyes roamed over the spectacle before him.He scrutinized the faint sheen of sweat across the girl's wide forehead and noticed the filthy, dusty rag clutched in her palm.

He raised an invisible eyebrow, "What are you doing?" he questioned, moving around the now dust-less room. He admired how no piles of dust rose in the air as he walked.

Sakura awkwardly wringed the dirty rag, looking around the room for a good excuse.

_Be honest._

"I was…cleaning." She finished defiantly. She wasn't sure whether Gaara would be upset with her up-late housecleaning but she wasn't ready to back down if he were to explode on her.

Gaara slowly glided across the room, sitting at the now wiped-down table. He crossed his arms and looked at Sakura full in the face.

For the first time, she noticed the black rings surrounding his eyes. His sleepless nights shone clearly on his pale face and his eyes spoke no different. He was, beyond doubt, an insomniac. Her heart sank as she imagined a night without dreams.

"I see." Was all he said.

Sakura stood there rooted to the spot, unsure of what to do now. Shall she continue her cleaning? Maybe sit across from him? Or shall she just abandon the room and go to sleep in the around room?

She went with the second option and quietly pulled out an uneven chair and sat down. Gaara watched as she leaned forward in her chair, crossing her hands to create a platform in front of her face.

Gaara could only notice in amusement at how it was the exact pose that Sasuke could usually be found in when in deep contemplation.

Sakura tried her best not to crack under his stern gaze and nervously began a conversation to try divert his attention away from her face. Eye contact was not one of her specialties and it usually made her squirm.

"I…I hope you don't mind…" she began awkwardly, hoping for a response from the stoic person sitting right across the table.

She received no immediate answer and gulped. Out of all the people she had met today, Gaara was the only person she was afraid of upsetting and upset was all she could hear in the stony silence. Or maybe it was something else she heard?

"I'm s-sor-

"You did a good job."

She blinked. _Huh?_

"I've never seen this room so clean before." He let out a barely noticeable smirk and his pale face lit up and brightened the entire room. Even his black-ringed eyes seemed to shine.

Such a tiny lift of his lips changed him completely and Sakura's cheeks grew rosy at this new found expression. It was a smile she was unaccustomed to. A smile somewhat close to what she guessed was grateful. Sakura wanted to light up the faces of everyone else too.

She turned her head away bashfully and grinned, "T-thank you."

Gaara only nodded and the room once again settled into silence as the quiet chirping rang outside.

The building around them creaked as the first rays of sunshine lit up the midnight sky. Dawn was approaching and not a wink of sleep was had for either of them. Sakura would onlyfeel guilty if she left Gaara alone while she sauntered off to her new bed, so she stayed with him. She sat at the table until her eyelids drooped down like rocks and her head laid to rest on the table top.

xXxXxXxXx

It was around noon when her nose finally awoke to the smell of sugary goodness and a light tapping on the back of her head. She felt like her head weighed a thousand pounds and opted to leaving her face buried in her arms while she heard voices in the background.

"Saaakuraaa-chaaaan, wake up!"

"Will you quit it, Dobe? She's trying to sleep."

"Thus, I am trying to wake her up. It's lunchtime already!"

There was a sigh, "Fine, whatever."

"What is she doing out here, anyway?" said a new voice.

She heard the scratching of wood as if someone pulled out a chair. "I dunno. She was out here when I woke up. Hey, what happened to all the dust?"

"Jeez, did you just notice?"

"Of course not! Just…where did it all go?"

Another voice entered the conversation, "She cleaned it all."

"Huh? Sakura-chan did?"

"Who else goes by the term of 'she'?"

"Probably teme."

A low growl penetrated the air.

"Maybe we should carry her to a room?"

And it was at that moment that Sakura deemed it an appropriate time to wake up. She groggily lifted her head up to peer at the faces looking interestedly at her movement.

She let out a sleepy smile, "Good morning," she yawned.

The males surrounding her only grunted or nodded in response while Naruto let out a loud and exuberant "Good morning!"

Sakura noticed how the sun shone through the half covered windows during the day and how the entire building lit up, sunshine bouncing of the cleaned tables and chairs. It made her eyes curve as she admired how different things looked in the morning when you weren't waking up in a pile of junk.

The entire household was in the room, posing in what she assumed was their normal positions. Shikamaru leaned back in a chair, Gaara stood back from the group, and Sasuke had his arms folded over his chest while Naruto could not stay still.

"Guess what today is Sakura-chan? Monday!" he yelled in excitement.

Sakura wasn't sure what was so special about the start of a new week. Each day seemed exactly the same to her. Given the life she had, she never really had time to keep track of the days anyway.

He read her confused face and continued, "Monday is our field-trip day." He declared while she heard a groan in the background, "Since most people go to work on this day or something, we like to head out and look for stuff! Someone will stay behind of course…to keep watch."

She bobbed her head in understanding and wondered who was lucky enough to be left behind to guard their home. Anyone could just waltz right in if it was kept un-supervised.

"Oh yeah! After we look around we like to head to that trashy park down the lane and train a bit. You need to be tough in this town, you know?" He finished.

Sakura's understanding grew. She realized that's probably how Naruto was able to beat that man just the other night. Training…she wondered what that consisted of.

Out of the corner of her eye she glanced down at her own frail and lanky limbs. Definitely not suitablefor fighting or even hard labor. She was weak and fragile and maybe a little training could toughen her into shape.

After they had a simple and almost satisfying lunch, they gathered up their small amount of belongings and headed for the park while Shikamaru opted to stay behind. This was Sakura's first trip to the park she didn't know existed.

The park really was run-down. She wasn't really sure what to expect when she arrived. The park was more suitable as awasteland with a single broken swing set. The grass was sharp and brown while the other vegetation was without leaves. Litter spotted the ground and graffiti was splayed across the nearby walls. A couple homeless people could be seen sleeping in the distance. Sakura felt sorry for them.

Where the dirt was hard and caked together was where the group set up.

She watched from the sidelines, wondering if she could join in on their routine workout. The three boys stretched out their limbs and she could see their small muscles constrict and shape. Her eyes wandered enviously and she wished she could be as strong as them.

After a few minutes of stretching, Sasuke and Gaara broke into a friendly spar, working their arms and legs with punches and kicks. Naruto sat with Sakura and whispered every once in a while of what the two fighters were now doing.

"Sasuke just did a really lame upper-cut thing while Gaara just countered with this sweet right-hook." He commented while smiling in her direction.

The look on her face was in of silent awe. She had never seen someone engaged in such combat before, drunken slaps and knife play was all she had ever witnessed.

The way they flew at each other with a small grace was almost beautiful as it was barbaric and she dreamed of learning it herself.

The three boys traded off once in a while and Sakura noted their different styles and techniques. Her green eyes chased every swift action, curve and swing. Her fingers absentmindedly mimicked their movements and followed the path of their progress around the field.

So engrossed in the practice fighting, she didn't notice Sasuke lean against a tree to her right.

"Do you know what they are doing?" he asked with an air of curiosity as he studied her strange expression. Her face was in wonderment.

Blinking away from the scene before her, she turned her head to him, mouth slightly parted.

"Huh?" just barely hearing him she answered, "…fighting?"

He raised an eyebrow and slid down the tree until he sat cross-legged next to her. "It's more than just fighting." Her attention was fully on him now. "It's called taijutsu. Hand to hand combat." He said simply.

"Oh." Her eyes lit up with sudden excitement, "Do you think that I…could learn it?"

"What?" Sasuke looked at her with a shocked expression which quickly melted into ridicule. "You?" his scoff quickly turned into a frown as he examined her face.

Eyes downcast and looking sullen, Sakura stared at her hands, eyes hidden by her pink hair. Sakura was never good at dealing with put-downs for she had never experienced one. But as those single words sneered out of his mouth, Sakura could only feel sad.

"I…can try."

Was all she said as a single tear slid down her face and into her lap.

* * *

**A/N:** Yup.

I feel as if this story is going kinda slow...or fast...I really can't tell.

As for the subject thingy of this story...it's not really adventure...uh yet...but I think I can get there! Haha! I can see it now, Sakura jumping out of a sky scraper, guns blazing, as she lands on a helicopter. Action. Hell yeah.

Review please!


End file.
